


Not Part of the Plan

by MCM



Series: The Next Herald Mage [2]
Category: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 05:01:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4693028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MCM/pseuds/MCM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is a sequel to The Next Herald Mage, my fic from this morning. I'm playing around with the idea that Kris was a Herald Mage, and meant to be Queen's Own. It's completely consistent with canon, but also not canon. At all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Part of the Plan

Rolan would never be as close to Jisa as Taver and Treven were, but he loved her to distraction anyway. 

"What have you missed the most?" He asked. 

She smiled, "Toasted cheese!"  
"I hear the Holderkin do a nice one," Rolan teased, "it's out of sheep's milk."  
"Well, I'll have something to look forward to then," she teased back, stretching her arms over her head. Gesture had no physical purpose in the Havens, and he understood her invitation to hold her. Rolan and Jisa had never been lovers, but they all turned to each other for comfort, here, the way the Hawkbrothers and the Heralds did in the world. He buried his face in her shoulder and stroked her back. He would miss her. 

"Are you sure you want to go?" He whispered.  
She looked fierce. "The Holderkin have been inside the borders for centuries now, and not one single Herald in all that time. It's high time we knew what they were up to!"  
"They do get visits, Jisa."  
"Oh, I know. They've been read the law. But no one has laid eyes on the children, Rolan. You know how I feel about that."

Rolan did. Jisa's own childhood had been shattered over and over again, first by witnessing Herald Jaysen's death, and then by her growing awareness of Randale's illness and the dangers Vanyel faced defending the kingdom, but she had always had someone - Shavri, Randale, Vanyel, Treven, Taver - to turn to. She was acutely aware of the children who had no one. Many Heralds were as protective of Valdemar's children as Jisa was, but none were more, and few devoted as much energy to their problems. 

"I know, Jisa. I'm sure you'll have improved their schools beyond measure by the time you're nine!" He held her hand, and they walked together. "It won't be Taver, this time," he reminded her. 

"I should think not!" She retorted. "I'll be a nice, ordinary Herald with an interesting past and a gorgeous life-bonded lover. We'll be very romantic." She was teasing again now, and he knew she was trying to look braver than she was. 

"Treyven is in the field already," he reminded her, "I think you'll see him before long." 

She squared her shoulders. "I miss him when he's away, Rolan. I was never good at being alone." Being alone was hard for MindHealers, he knew. It was one of the reasons they were so prone to lifebonds. It was hard for them to be Heralds too, but the Gift was so precious, and Jisa was so determined to serve. 

The sun was rising now, on a hot Midsummer morning. Rolan held her while she was born, and kissed her when her mother named her Talia. Then he turned away, and walked back to the Havens alone. 

***

Things were not going as Rolan had planned. Or as Taver had planned, or anyone else had planned, among those of them who had plans. Taver was supposed to retire with Talamir. Neither of them expected to be on the battlefield at their age, and for Taver to leave Talamir behind, well, that was a tragedy and a disaster. They'd prepared for it, the way they prepared for everything, but they hadn't expected it. Rolan curled himself protectively around the human wreck that was now Queen's Own and wished he had a MindHealer on hand. Another MindHealer, anyway. Perhaps Jisa could do something about the shortage while she was in the field. She and Treven could make lots and lots of little MindHealers. In their free time. If she'd been a Companion, it would have been easy enough to see to. He was borrowing from the MindHealers among the Companions now, letting them work through him. It wasn't as effective as a human Healer, and it was exhausting for all of them, but it was their best hope for soothing the blast wounds in the channels that held Talamir's bond to Taver, and building a new bond. This war was closer to Jisa than he liked, with her new incarnation too young to have any hope of self-defense, but he had no time to spare a thought for it now. Talamir's grief stirred again. It would be with him until he rejoined Taver. Rolan let it wash over him. 

***  
Like Taver's death, Talamir's was unexpected. It was out of its proper time, Rolan knew, but it was a relief too, to know that Talamir and Taver would be together again and their grief would finally know an end. 

Rolan needed a rest, preferably followed by a long run and a willing mare, but he couldn't be with the Herd right now. He needed the North Trade Road, out of Haven. He needed a week or two in Sorrows with Yfandes before he found his new Chosen. And the Web would need to be consulted. Best not to do that from Haven, if he could avoid it. It played merry hell with the weather. 

Kris was young, still. He wanted to be Dean, like Elcarth, but he would find that Queen's Own wasn't so different. The boy's natural inclination towards celibacy would help him avoid certain political complications. In a month or two, he would be done with his internship. Tantris could walk him through the gates, and Rolan could stroll across the Companion's Field and look deep into his eyes, and then school him to ignore his uncle. It would be simple for a few months, despite the complication of the boy's Gift. The Council seat would not go empty. And once he knew his own Gift, Kris would train Elspeth. 

He was surprised that there were objections.  
Kris would make a fine Queen's Own, after his training. Once Elspeth had been tamed. When Valdemar once again knew why it needed a Herald Mage. 

They sent Rolan south, for Talia. For Jisa. 

***

He knew her at once, when she tumbled on to the road, tears streaking her sweet heart-shaped face. The moment he Chose her was the moment his heart broke. :Now forget: he whispered to her, but also to himself.


End file.
